Consumer and food industry personnel understanding and perceptions of food processing related to whole grains.

Abstract

Objective: To explore consumers' understanding of whole-grain foods and their processing and food industry personnel's perceptions of whole-grain foods in processing classification systems.

Design: Semi-structured focus groups and interviews.

Setting: Online.

Participants: Consumers (n 28) ≥ 18 years frequently purchasing/consuming grain foods. Food industry personnel (n 16) currently/recently employed within the grain industry.

Results: Consumers generally used whole-refined grain comparisons to gauge the level of processing, perceiving whole grains as less processed. While some suggested processing elements, such as additives, may influence their food choices, healthfulness was typically judged based on the presence or absence of certain nutrients. Often, other drivers of behaviour took precedence (e.g. cost, familial preferences and culinary skills). Food industry personnel viewed food processing as complex but oversimplified in current food processing classification systems. They considered that while some processed foods can be unhealthful, this does not apply to all processed foods. They emphasised the importance of holistic consumer education including that processing needs to be considered together with the food's nutritional composition to help consumers differentiate between less healthy and 'healthier' processed foods (e.g. a highly processed refined grain food with added fats and sugars, and a fortified whole-grain product).

Conclusions: Messaging around food processing should be considered alongside those on nutritional quality of foods to ensure consumers are informed in their understanding of a food's healthfulness. Policy measures addressing food processing should reflect its complexities, including the different types and functions of processing and their rationale, particularly in the context of whole grains.